@valmiller
God, Scott was impossible. Valerie wanted to correct him, but they had to present as a team. Otherwise Remy wouldn’t listen. He was trying so hard to make this conversation about their personal issues. Forcing Val to read between the lines instead of actually talk about what happened. She’d been trying for months to repair their connection, but he ghosted her. Now he chose this moment – in front of their daughter – to hash things out? Whatever. Remy didn’t even pick up on the subtext so it didn’t matter.
They finished lecturing their daughter and Val decided that it was time to leave. “Come give me a hug, and then go show Papa your new book.” She peered at Jack, hoping that he would take the hint and give her a moment alone with Scott. After Remy hugged her parents, she retreated to her bedroom with Papa in tow. Valerie called after her, “Don’t forget, you need to read twenty pages of your book tonight.”
Once they were finally alone, she offered Scott the chance to say something first. Anything. Val was staring straight at him; she said nothing.
Finally she had enough silence. She kept her voice steady and quiet because she wouldn’t sacrifice her elegance for this petty behavior.
“Do not drag Remy into this bullshit.” It was not a request. Valerie was threatening Scott. He was pushing her to wit’s end. She stood up and towered over him, glaring down until he met her eye-to-eye. “If you have something to say, then say it to me. You owe me that. This whole time– 8 months you’ve been back– you won’t talk to me. Can you even look at me?”
“I’ll see you later, sunshine. Listen to your mom and read your book, ok?” Scott addressed his daughter softly, before calmly watching her walk out with her grandfather. He let the inevitable silence set, making no effort to break it.
He knew she would say something, and when she did his first and only reaction was to sigh. He didn’t want his daughter to grow up standing by the sidelines, and while he knew he’d contradicted her out of spite, he’d also done it out of genuine worry for Remy.
“I’m not dragging Remy into anything.” Scott retaliated, avoiding her eyes. Her remark stung. No, he wasn’t able to look at her. He barely could despite having been back the last 8 months.
“What do you want me to say, Valerie?” He retorted, the frustration rising within him. In response, he shot up from the couch after her, looking back down at her. “Do you want me to talk about the hunger and poverty out there? How every day I worry that my daughter has to live in a dead world where the only remnant of society left is letting people starve? Do you want me to tell you how hurt I am that you’re a part of that system?”
He tried not to raise his voice, but the pain and anger was clear in his tone. Maybe it would all finally come out this time, maybe for once he wouldn’t back down.